Dad Bod: The Nudes

You’ve heard about it. Now see it in the flesh

On March 30, 2015, a Clemson University sophomore named Mackenzie Pearson declared her love for “dad bod.” “The dad bod is a nice balance between a beer gut and working out,” she wrote. “The dad bod says, ‘I go to the gym occasionally, but I also drink heavily on the weekends and enjoy eating eight slices of pizza at a time.’” Since then, the term has come to encompass any man who dares to forgo a six-pack, and the trend continues: A “realistic” faux-Ken was introduced, sporting a relatable dad bod; a group of Floridians decided to raise money for a friend’s medical bills with a dad bod calendar; and Game of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke recently declared that she prefers a man with a dad bod.

But dad-bod-as-trend is a one-dimensional descriptor. Real dads don’t all share a single physique, right?

We wanted to find out. So we enlisted photographer Lani Lee to track down some honest-to-god dads with some honest-to-god dad bods and have them pose for her — completely naked. Fuck you, Realistic Ken Doll.

Name: Peter Pabón, 43

Occupation: Graphic artist/Photographer

Number of children:I have three children in total. I have a 16-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son with my ex-wife and just had a 13-month-old son with my current girlfriend.

What’s your favorite part about being a dad?I’d have to say it’s the moment your child looks up at you for help, love, acknowledgment, etc. You realize that nothing else matters in life but that.

Name: Sonic Highlark, 34

Occupation: Photographer/Journalist

Number of children:One girl, 3 months old.

What’s your favorite part about being a dad?Seeing my daughter do things she never did before. She’s evolving!